Blood In My Ears And Vertigo

[TxHockeyGuy]

As everyone else has said, definetely go back to the ENT. I wouldn't bother calling DAN because you need to go back to the ENT and they will be better able to diagnose you than a doc over the phone.

As for taking sudafed, 90% of the time it is the only way I can dive. Actually, now that I think about it I've done 3 dive days without it, and one of those was my first OW dive day and I sure wish I would have taken it. That being said if you are going to take sudafed take the 12 hour, not the 4. You might forget to take it after the first 4 hours like I did the last time I was out. I managed to clear but with a lot more issues than I normally have. There is also some debate about sudafed increasing your risk to CNS toxicity so if you're diving Nitrox you really shouldn't push your PPO2 level. If that last statement doesn't make any sense don't worry, you won't need to know about it until you start diving Nitrox.

 

[MsParamedic]

You should NOT have to take Sudafed to dive! Unless of course, you have consulted your ENT and this is his/her prescribed recommendations, espcecially with the history of the trauma to your ear.

Pat

 

[JessH]

TxHockeyGuy-There are safer natural solutions to clear your sinuses than Sudafed. If you wish to know my secret just PM me and then for 3 easy payments of 19.95..... hehe, no really, there is a way.

Netti has worked wonders for me. Just a little bit of regular nasal irrigation and you can kiss that sudafed goodbye. Many ENTs recommend it as well so don't think it is new age quakery just because Yogis do it. PM me if you want info on it.

~Jess

 

[ortoman]

the apertura between innner and middle ear is called 'foramen ovale' -oval hole, and damage of this structure is very dangerous. I am not a ENT specialist, but a dentist, man you must not dive untill all will be OK, maybe 3 months..

 

[normisan]

I am not a doc, but I have had a training in diving medicine. From the limited info in your post I cannot be sure exactly what happened, the vertigo definiatly was either from damage to your ear, or sifnificant lack of equalization (alternabaric vertigo) and possilby a combination of varying temp since quarrys are usually cold(caloric vertigo). If you are unsure of what has happened to your ear, or not sure about the docs opinion, I would definately get a second opinion. Inner ear barotrauma can potentially be very serious. You may try and find a doc trainined in diving medicine most likely at a hospital with a chamber, or an ear/nose/throat doc.

 

[De Scuba]

Thanks guys im reading every post and learning more everyday > My ears are now starting to make a crackling sound now everytime i swallow. I go back to the ENT Doc this wedensday to see how they are and yes im looking for a new instructor but you know i swear they are hard to find everyone wants to do a crash course and then you are on your own and i dont feel i know enough yet but maybe im just gun shy after the ear thig .But im telling you vertigo down 35 feet and not having a clue where you are or wich way is up is a little scarey maybe im just a sissy idont know but i do think i would have more confidence if i had more instruction .Thanks again Mark

 

[Thumper517]

DAN had a great article on diving related ear injuries in the last Alert Diver Magazine.

Here also
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=45;

Ear injuries are the most common injury divers experience.

I hope you recover completely and can continue diving.

Best Regards

 

[Bill D]

I think to be on the safe side you need to see an ear specialist as soon as possible. Because of the crackling sound, you may have developed an infection or you may just be clearing fluid from your ears, but you need a professional to evaluate your situation now and also your ability to continue diving in the future. These kinds of injuries are very slow to heal.
There are solid reasons why all the training agencies recommend against taking antihistamines and decongestants before diving. Their benefits wear off with time underwater, conditions such as really cold water overwhelm the positive effects of the medication and congestion returns/increases, and finally, if they do wear off and you are deep, you can experience a reverse squeeze that blocks your ability to equalize. Ascending through that condition causes ruptures and the symptoms you experienced. It sounds like fluid moved into your eustachian tubes on the way down which blocked air expansion in your ears on the way up.
Just experiencing a reverse squeeze is a scary experience and one to be avoided. I'm an instructor, I know better, yet I ignored my own training on a dive several years ago at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. I was coming off a bad cold the previous week and still fairly congested, but I really wanted to dive. So, I took some Alegra D earlier in the morning and went diving. I knew I was still congested when I couldn't equalize in the first ten feet. I surfaced repeatedly trying to slowly clear and finally it did. I went to 80 feet and had a great dive until I got cold and started to ascend. At 70 feet, nothing was equalizing in my head, and I suddenly realized I was in a reverse squeeze. If I went up the expansion of air in my sinuses would have ruptured everything in my head. But, I was also low on air, freezing cold and needed to surface!
Fortunately, I returned to 80 feet and tried again like our training explains. On the THIRD return to 80 feet I was able to unblock and get some clearing. I kept popping my ears every few feet to the safety stop, and then to the surface. It has only happened to me once in over 700 dives. There won't be a next time....I'm not getting stuck at depth with those choices ever again.

 

[Divmstr223]

De Scuba - I'm glad that things are progressing for you and I hope that you'll be back in the water and enjoying diving soon.

#1 I'm happy that you are looking for another instructor. Your current one put you at risk from the get-go with the bad advice.

#2 You mentioned that you are suprised he could see you in 5-10 foot vis. Why in the world would he be more than 10 feet away from you in the first place on a check out dive?

#3 I think you should report this person to the shop he works for or even PADI (whichever organization) before their bad judgment puts someone else at risk.

Best of luck to ya....